Cloudy with a Chance of Teenagers [Open]

[explodosafe]

WHO: Cutter & you!
WHERE: somewhere round town
WHEN: July
WHAT: Learning to run means learning to fall. Applied to running over rooftops this can get a little awkward. Also various bingo prompts and Cutter being a worried teenager.
WARNINGS: Some cussing, possible mention of memories that include body horror, EMOTIONAL TEENS


1. Running, Falling, Fetch the Kid!


2. Don't Judge, this is my best Skirt and Tie


3. Public Fountain Fishing (you won't believe what's all in there)


4. Youth is not Youth Without Angsting on Playground Swings


Let me know if you'd like to do something else and I'll write a starter for you!

Comments

1. Running, Falling, Fetch the Kid!

[explodosafe]

[One cannot run away from his problems. No matter how fast one runs, no matter how far, in the end they are going to catch up with you again.

Cutter knows that.

But the dreams that aren't really dreams keep coming. He can feel them tug away on the foundation of his self-awareness, grinding expectations and memories of failures against him until he's done, raw and weary.

When he closes his eyes and lets his mind wander he can feel the touch again, melting and molding his flesh until he is nothing more but a discarded lump of a former meat clay doll, feeling, seeing and hearing yet unable to do anything. He remembers how utterly useless his demise was.

He also remembers some of his friends, standing proud and strong and fearless and capable, and standing in a group listening to a pep-talk that cooks down to "be exceptional and more or you will be sorted out."

Cutter doesn't want any of those memories.

He doesn't want to deal with people who are happily giving themselves into those delusions or whatever nonsense some shady company and its employees decide to toss at them for their whatever either. Hell, he doesn't even want to deal with the weekly call from his family right now!

So he forces himself to concentrate on the present, chasing cheap thrills and a slapdash promise of being taught parkour if he can just run fast enough. (He doesn't even fully buy it himself, but any pretext to keep moving until his lungs hurt is welcome at this point.)

At first he only runs through the streets. Then he starts hopping onto small walls and stairs, chasing over fences until it's low roofs that his feet are carrying him over, always close to the people around him yet out of his direct sights.


Two hours in and Cutter’s mind finally starts to go blank, too exhausted to still worry about the ifs and whens.

Two hours and one minute when Cutter misses his footing, makes a stumbling leap and realizes that there is no way to prevent falling.]

Watch out!!

[wantshappiness]

[Yuuri was out buying groceries and it's not like she's observant to begin with but right now, having regained another awful mememory she's even more distracted than usual.

She almost didn't even notice the warning until it's pretty much too late to move away.

At least there was enough time to look up and enough time for her eyes to go really, really wide...but otherwise she's just frozen there.

This is probably not going to end well.]

[explodosafe]

[Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no he can see the girl he is falling onto but Cutter can do nothing to stop it from happening anymore!

In a last ditch effort he throws his arms out and tries to make sure he protects her head, but if it works or not is only for fate to tell.

The rest is short and painful, although by far not as much as it could have been.]

A-are you alright?!

[wantshappiness]

[The shout bursts from her lungs pretty much after they'd started falling. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the impact...which came, but not as bad as she expected.

For one thing, her head hadn't snapped back against the ground.]

Y-yes. [She reaches up to touch him around the head.] What about you!? Are you all right?

[explodosafe]

[Cutter goes a little cross-eyed as he tries to watch what her hands are doing and his fingers smart something ugly with the added on burning that tells him that something got skinned for sure, but besides that? He pauses and takes silent stock, testing his fingers and toes just to find that everything moves without too much pain.

He exhales a breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding when he finally turns his attention back to her.]

Yeah, a bit smarting but everything's still working and in one piece.

[His hands are still behind her head as he flashes her a grin, the expression small, warm and grateful.]

Thanks to you, I might add. Thanks for saving me.

[wantshappiness]

I didn't even do anything...

[She's still sort of worried but also blushing because WHY ARE YOU THANKING HER SHE DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING.]

Why did you even fall from the sky...?

[This seems suspiciously like the plot of a certain movie...except he's not in a blue dress and wasn't floating down with a flowing blue stone around his neck.]

[explodosafe]

[Please, he'd never wear blue, it looks atrocious on him.]

Eh, I was training and misstepped.

[He pulls back enough to rub the back of his head sheepishly before he remembers their position and moves off of her with a small cough.]

[wantshappiness]

...training?

[She barely even registers their position until he sits up. Then she sits up with a flush on her cheeks.]

I-I..um. What sort of training would end with you falling from so high?

[explodosafe]

Yep! I'm training parkour! It's basically moving across the city real fast, over roofs, leaping, jumping, all those things like you see them in action movies! I figured with what's going on that'd be an useful skill to have!

[He frowns.]

But say... Have we met before? There's something about you that's real familiar.

[wantshappiness]

Oh. That sounds really cool...but it seems dangerous.

[She tilted her head in thought.]

Um. I don't think so? [But now that you mention it...there is something a bit familiar about you...]

[feistytrader]

[You know, Silver is fast enough to move out of the way of this in theory. He could side step him problem free and let him eat pavement. Unfortunately, reason doesn't weigh out over his instincts, and his instincts are telling him to catch the damn guy.

So here he is, holding his arms out to catch him against his better judgement; he manages that successfully enough, although the momentum is more than enough to knock him soundly on his ass. Totodile trots over to check to see if they're okay, but other than that, there's a moment of silence as Silver regains his bearings.]

Are you...?

[Are you okay seems like a sort of stupid question to ask the stranger that came out of the damn sky.]

[explodosafe]

[Was this guy kidding him?! Cutter's eyes widen when he realizes what Silver is planning and he jerks his arms up to protect his head as good as he can by instinct, hoping that he will prevent accidentally headbutting both of their brains out that way.

It still hurts, though.

Cutter groans as he rolls to the side and off of his own arm.]

Damn...! That- [Wait. What's that?] ..................... .... Why's there a crocodile?

[DID HE SMASH HIS BRAINS IN AFTER ALL?!]

[feistytrader]

He's a friend.

[Silver's pretty quiet as he brushes himself off; it's not for a lack of hurting, but he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, either.]

What the hell was that about? Are you crazy?

[explodosafe]

Huh. [His answer isn't very intelligible when he finally starts to push himself up and turns his attention back to Silver.] Guess that means I didn't hit my head after all. Are you still whole?

[Bowing down he offers Silver a hand to help him up, making a subtle point of not getting it too much into Totodile's reach in the process.]

Nah. I'm training and got distracted for a second. Good thing I wasn't high up, huh?

[feistytrader]

[He considers it for a moment, then takes his hand and hauls himself up; Totodile doesn't do anything other than maintain his smile as usual, although he is looking up at Cutter curiously.]

Training for what, being a stunt man?

[explodosafe]

You got it with one try, bro! I'm working on my agility and running right now!

[He flashes him a toothy grin that could rival Totodile's. Nodding toward the small creature he quirks a curious eyebrow.]

That's a pretty unusual pet, I bet there's a story behind how you got it?

[stopbleeding]

[It's coincidence that brings Zoro to the right place at exactly the right time. He greets the surprise with instinct, hands snapping out to save Cutter from his imminent impact. He catches him though the weight makes him stumble back.]

You should be more careful.

[Only once he sets him down does he recognize him.]

Huh. [Pretty much all the greeting he gives. His brow furrows.] What are you doing?

[explodosafe]

Ah! Whoa...Thanks.

[He doesn't look who has caught him at first, needing some time just to register that he has been caught and no concrete is going to jump his head or other vital body parts anytime soon.]

Hey, it's you! I was looking for you before I got bored and decided to just go running a bit! ....didn't think I'd end up dropping by that literally though, that was a nice catch!

[He gives him a thumbs up and grins, casually ignoring the real reason why he has been working on tiring his body out more than usual lately.]

[stopbleeding]

You look like a mess.

[Just. So blunt. But still true. However impressed he was that the kid was actually training (he hadn't believed it) is overcome by annoyance.

He flicks Cutter on the head.]

Didn't I tell you to rest? You ignoring me already?

[explodosafe]

Am I a cute mess at least?

[Just where the hell do words like that come from and why are they always out before Cutter's brain can catch up and pull a horrified emergency brake?! He snaps his mouth shut just to bare his teeth in a smirk right after, falling back into nervous old habits in order to hide his awkwardness.]

Ow! I didn't! And I'm fine, really! This is nothing for me!

[The flick kills the smart act, leaving just a very ruffled teen trying to look 'fine' in its wake.]

[stopbleeding]

[Yeah, another flick for that "cute" nonsense.]

You weren't even able to catch yourself from a fall. Your reaction time has dulled. You're either distracted, tired or both. Push yourself, don't break yourself.

[Zoro sighs and crosses his arms, already regretting agreeing to this deal. Lecturing is more of a pain than he thought.]

Can you run as fast as I need you to?

[explodosafe]

Ow! Hey, not the same place twice, that's not fair!

[He ducks and makes a face, rubbing the sore spot.]

I made a mistake once, 's all... That can't be prevented while I'm still learning, right? It should be fine as long as make sure not to do it again!

[But he is not denying either of those accusations.

Cutter sighs and shifts from one leg to the other, one hand clenching the wrist of the other as he avoids Zoro's eyes. It takes him a moment to pull himself together.]

You bet I can! I'm not gonna break over something small like that!

[stopbleeding]

[Really? Really? He's supposed to buy that with all that obvious body language? ]

If you're gonna lie to me at least look me in the eye.

[He crosses his arms. Unless he was already doing that in which case he continues doing that.]

Being your trainer or whatever means I'm responsible for your health. I'm not going to have you get hurt so long as I'm teaching you. [which STILL sounds weird to say] Part of being a stuntman is knowing how to do dangerous things with minimal injuries.

[Not... that he's the best example of that.] You got a problem with that find someone else.

[explodosafe]

[Cutter whips his head around at the accusation and levels Zoro with a determined glare.]

I can do it!! There's nothing you can toss at me that can stop me for long!!

[This time there is no doubt or avoidance in his voice. But he is angry, mostly frustrated at himself.]

If it weren't for these stupid fake memories--

[stopbleeding]

[Ah.]

So that's it, huh?

[Well, Zoro can't say he doesn't relate. What once were fantastical glimpses at some storybook past were now invading his reality. He thinks back to the promise he made, swearing himself to a king, and mulls over the same question. Why would he pledge himself to anyone?

He bites his lip to stop himself from thinking about it. A bit of blood runs down his chin. He wipes it away.]

You gotta put them away for this stuff.